Elsie Smith is married to a minister currently based in Warrington and has biblical a vision for many years for the children’s work, but has been unable to put it into practice outside the Sunday School. She wanted the freedom to do things on a bigger scale, which came to her when she received a grant to work part time last year. She has since received additional smaller grants that allow her to work part time.

It is interesting to see how her vision has developed since she started. In 2006 she said:

“The 9-12 year olds are in a big void between Sunday School and the main church. There really is nothing for them. I’d like to do some stuff to help them with literacy, but really concentrate on Bible principles of morality and basic Christian ways of living - the things we need to know as Christians. In that I can encompass the Gospel to that group to lead them to salvation and the reality of God.

I think groups work best because I find they get shamed in a one-to-one situation. We can do discussions: we can read a scripture and then ask them to explain what it means to them personally. We can make stuff to illustrate the Bible- models, crafts, pictures that move. I also like games. We played Bibleopoly recently and it was amazing how they just could not grasp the idea of giving to win because they were convinced winning meant taking from others.


I could also work with the girls who are 14 and older to train them as assistants, and they could be taught on a one-to-one basis to teach, and they could learn the scriptures which will help their literacy. Beyond that I could also do something with the women, to discuss life skills, morals, to bring the Bible into everyday lives, so that they can keep a good home in terms of relationships with their husbands and children, to be submissive, especially if their husbands are not saved. They are very good at teaching their children practical skills, but often shove the kids out of the way during their daily devotions, when really they ought to call them in, and it is down to the mothers to teach their children because they are the ones who spend time with them. The men get taught at men’s meetings, but there is nothing geared directly at women. Its all about Titus 2v4.”

More recently, in 2008, she said:

I have recently realised the importance of the academic side of my work, and how being able to read and write will enable the children to study for themselves in the future. Through the biblical principles that I try to teach (morality, prayer and fellowship) I am setting in a foundation for their future growth in spiritual terms. What I do should work in tandem with parents: I can fill the childrens' minds with the raw materials of scriptural knowledge, but it is the role of the parents to imprint that upon their children to form their character by discussing what they have learned so that they can apply that knowledge to their lives.If I were to go as far as teaching the children how to apply the scriptures personally, I would feel that I was usurping the place of their mother and father. I am conscious of the fact that in trying to support the parents, I must not interfere or take over their role - that would be counter-productive. I am blessed that I have been able to teach children who have never set foot in a school at all.


Tina Grant is married to a trainee minister currently in Doncaster. She has been working voluntarily to promote Christian material such as Bible games, books and toys for use in the home to impress on Christians that Christian learning doesn’t stop at Sunday School or Church. She says:

I’d like to visit our Sunday School children at home with their mums and dads, or even pick them up and fetch them to my home to have a day with them reading scriptures and playing the Bible games. We are thinking of doing a play which two boys in the church have made which God has given them about a toy box. It fetches the gospel out.

I first did Sunday School in Wakefield where there was almost nothing - no equipment and no order. At the time I had no real desire to work with children, but God spoke to me about the needs of the children, and I started to pray about it with a friend and so we dedicated ourselves to it. We put in the time and effort to build it up for the local women to take it over again. Now I can’t wait to do the Sunday School because of the way the children love it. Even if it’s not actually my turn I’ll still go in. My mother can’t stand to go shopping with me because all my mind is on is finding stuff to use in the Church instead of the things she wants to look at. I find activities stick in children’s minds, and they always remember the themes or lessons that go with them. We’ve made puppets, T-shirts with the Bible on and we’re going to make cardboard versions of the Ten Commandments. In particular we’ve taught the children to pray, which before they just refused to do.


Teaching children is my main aim, what I really enjoy, because many adults can remember things they learned in Sunday Schools. You can teach young children, whereas teenagers and beyond rebel and close up. Little ones are so hungry for the word of God, they are like sponges, and we can use the older ones to join in as assistants. We’re only willing vessels, but what an honour that God has chosen us! We really need to seek God about what to teach them, not just baby-sit.

Ray Price is a trainee minister with Light & Life, and I trained him to teach the men's group until he could prepare his own notes and take some sessions on his own. He has done extremely well and the men speak very highly of his work. This is very encouraging as I hope to secure funding to cover him. He says:

In the gypsy and travelling community most adults find reading difficult. I believe reading is essential to our Christian growth: getting to know God and growing in the Lord.

With God’s help I believe I could start small reading groups up and teach our community to read, also teaching them essential scriptures on salvation and winning the lost.